Meal planning is a trendy concept. And with good reason — meal planning is great on a budget, can be a health booster, and saves time in the long run.
But complete meal prepping is also hard. It takes thought and creativity to plan meals. And time to cook said meals. And, perhaps the trickiest part, it commits you to eating those same meals multiple times (possibly days) in a row.
Let’s talk about something that’s more realistic, flexible, and easy, but can still have a big impact: food prep.
Food Prep
The simpler idea of food prep is, rather than making full meals, make single foods in bulk ahead of time. Choosing versatile foods to prep ahead of time means less work when it comes to making a healthy, filling meal or snack later on. Food prep is also a win when it comes to budgeting. It delivers all the advantages of meal prep without as much commitment.
Here are some great food prep choices to get you started.
Food Prep Options
1. Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs are incredibly versatile. Choose the full egg or just the whites. Mix up some avocado with the yolk or go the traditional deviled eggs route.
They make a great side, a snack, and are a quick breakfast option.
Bonus — preparing hard boiled eggs is easy. I have two tricks that help ensure easy-to-peel shells:
- Add a few sprinkles of baking powder prior to boiling the water.
- Chill them soon after they’re removed from the water.
To boil eggs, get a pot of water boiling on the stove. Make sure it’s a good, rolling boil, then add eggs — carefully, try not to break them. Once the last egg is in, let them boil for 14 minutes.
2. Chicken
I am a vegetarian but I believe in the power of protein. I wanted to include a couple actual meats on this list. To do so, I consulted with the top carnivore and champion food prepper in my circle: my husband, Chris.
Skinless chicken is a food prep dream because there are numerous ways you can customize it and use it. Come up with your own marinade, or just keep it plain and dress it up later.
Chicken is easily tossed onto a green salad, in a wrap sandwich, in a taco, or served with veggies, rice, or quinoa. Even pop a frozen waffle in your toaster and slap on some syrup for chicken and waffles.
My husband’s advice for chicken is to grill it or bake at 350 degrees, in both cases until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
3. Raw Veggies
Do you love peanut butter, ranch dip, or hummus? Fact: all pair wonderfully with fresh, raw veggies. Baby carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli — there are so many great veggie options.
The trick with prepping raw veggies is to simply wash and cut them up so it is easy to grab some dip and eat. Bonus, cut up veggies are great to have on hand to add a little extra punch and pow to other foods. Toss a few raw cucumbers into a salad or quickly sauté already-cut zucchini and squash slices to add to a soup, sandwich, or taco.
4. Fresh Fruit
Fruit is an easy option that works well as a snack or to complement a meal. Berries add a nice punch to low-sugar Greek yogurt. And some fruits, like watermelon and grapes, even add a little extra hydration to your day.
The secret with fruit is having it clean, cut, and ready to go. How many times have you bought strawberries but ignored them because you didn’t want to deal with the stem — can’t be just me, right?
5. Quinoa
Another filling, versatile choice that is a great food to prep is quinoa. It works as a side dish, can be mixed in with a salad, or added to a burrito. Think of it as rice, only a little more protein-packed and heart-healthy.
Quinoa can be cooked on the stove or Instant Pot (my preferred method). Also, try swapping veggie broth in place of some water for more flavor.
6. Rice
I know, rice is pretty easy to buy almost as-is. Those packs that heat in the microwave in 90 seconds are great. But if you’re looking to save some money and have more than two servings ready on-hand, rice is easy to prep and good in the fridge all week. Like quinoa, simple brown and white rice come in handy in several ways.
Another one for the Instant Pot, a good-sized batch of plain white or brown rice can be cooked fairly quickly. I am also a fan of flavored styles like broccoli cheese rice and Spanish rice, and varieties with beans, quinoa, or other types of rice mixed in. Packaged versions cook quickly on the stove and are good for several days.
7. Vegetable Noodles
There are numerous vegetables that work well as noodles, such as zucchini, carrots, and spaghetti squash. And veggie noodles are a legit substitute or addition to a traditional noodle dish like spaghetti or macaroni and cheese.
Personally, I do not eat veggie noodles as a full-on substitute to regular noodles. Carbs are good and filling and nothing to be avoided. Adding veggie noodles is a great way to pump up the veggie goodness and mix in another texture and flavor.
There are simple kitchen gadgets that make turning a veggie into noodles quick and easy. Then, there are two ways to prep veggie noodles for an easy, spontaneous add-on to a meal.
One, simply wash and spiralize the veggie into the noodles. Save them in a Tupperware and they cook up fast when you want them. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then it only takes a few minutes to get them to your desired texture.
Two, cook the noodles and have them ready to simply warm up as needed. This works great for spaghetti squash. I’ll bake one on a Sunday, then portion out a couple servings of noodles. When that mac and cheese craving hits during the week, they are the perfect add-in.
8. Hamburger
Another for the meat-eaters in the house, browned hamburger is versatile and easy to make ahead for a ton of different uses. Pasta, tacos, and barbecues are three meals that can be made in a flash by having the browned hamburger ready to go.
Chris’ advice is to brown hamburger on the stove, then drain it but don’t rinse. It can be either frozen or tossed in a baggie or Tupperware to use within that same week.
9. Shredded Cheese
Yes, I know, shredded cheese is another one that is easy to buy as-is. However, if you want to take the time, shredding cheese straight off the block tastes better.
All you need for this one is a nice cheese grater and storage baggies. Shred up some mozzarella to top your pasta or cojack ready to go for tacos or tostados. Create your own special mix to sprinkle on a salad, veggies, or whatever else strikes your fancy. There is no judgment when it comes to topping ALL the foods with cheese.
10. Baked Potatoes
A potato is a great meal option because it can be cooked, topped, and enjoyed many ways. Sweet potatoes can be savory with butter and salt, or sweet with cinnamon and sugar.
For a traditional potato, make it a full meal with chicken, broccoli, and Alfredo sauce, or cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Keep it simple with butter and salt, or a little more unique with bacon or ranch dressing.
Either sweet potatoes or regular potatoes can be baked whole or cut up and baked bite-size style. Make sure to scrub them first, then either poke a whole potato several times with a fork or cut in slices or wedges, depending on how you’d like them. Baking times will vary, too depending on the size and style, but all potatoes can live in the fridge for several days. Just heat up and top them as desired.
Maybe you’re an aspiring meal prepper. Maybe you just want some easy weeknight foods to change it up or add to your frozen meals. No matter how or what you like to eat, a few simple food preps at the start of the week can cut costs, boost health, and save money!
What foods do you love to make ahead and have ready for the week? Please share your ideas — wins and fails — with me @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter. Find more wellness advice on my blog, wellirl.com.
